“Coming from America, where the UFC first came out, the life of the UFC for us IS America. To have it finally here in Vietnam is exciting. Before this gym opened we were going to other local gyms but here, having a great layout and all the newest equipment, especially for muscle isolation, is great,” says Kim Yee, a former professional bodybuilder who has been feature in both Flex Magazine and Muscle Mag. Kim also played tennis and basketball for national teams before deciding to take part in natural bodybuilding.
Kim Yee (back left) during his professional bodybuilding days
Kim Yee today
“Being up in age, it is important to keep my health, fitness and energy levels going. It’s the motivation factor – you don’t have to be the best or the worst, you just have to get active. When members see us working out, they’re not bothering us and we’re not bothering them but we give them motivation. I believe this is a pioneering gym in Asia, people can see or read about someone in a wheelchair but to see them in action is a whole different world.”
With a strong interest in fitness, Gentry Buckner has taken part in 2 marathons, open sea kayaking, hiking, basketball and more. “I’m doing this to get my core fit,” says Gentry, “and also to lose some weight! What I like about UFC Gym is that, out of all the gyms here, they have the most machines that we can actually use whereas at other places we had to get creative.”
Gentry Buckner
“Keeping active is important. We will have days where we focus on muscle isolation, a big muscle group and a small muscle group, keeping the weights light but with high reps to get blood into the muscles. We also like to bike around Thao Dien or go swimming for an hour and a half for cardio if we don’t come in to UFC Gym that day.”
Kim urges the importance of keeping a log book, saying that anyone who is seriously interested in their regimen, whether they be in a wheelchair or a pro UFC fighter, should have one. In this book he keeps a record of everything he does that day, from cardio to isolation to diet, everything counts and everything helps.
Kim Yee's notebook
What both men agree on is how the layout of UFC Gym is conducive to a good workout. “A UFC Gym isn’t just about the weights and the octagon, here you have a full-dressed layout for fitness and cardio training. UFC fighters don't want to get too heavy or sluggish. There’s so much equipment and you can go for the lightest or heaviest weight and the machine won’t compensate for you.”
Amy Lu (Calipso)
Learn more about UFC Gym Vietnam:
District 2 - Ho Chi Minh 3rd Floor, Thao Dien Pearl, No. 12 Quoc Huong, Thao Dien Ward
UFC Gym Website: http://www.ufcgym.com.vn/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ufcgymvn
